Ladbrokes Join TurfTV Ranks

Punters at Ladbrokes will be able to see pictures from all 59 racecourses in Britain after the firm signed a five-year deal with picture provider TurfTV.

TurfTV launched its full service on New Year's Day from the meetings at Catterick and Cheltenham, with only Channel 4 terrestrial pictures available to those shops not already signed.

Coral became the first of the major high street names to reach a deal last month and now Ladbrokes have followed suit.

A statement from Ladbrokes read: 'Ladbrokes' betting shop customers will continue to be able to watch all live broadcasts of horseracing from all of the UK's 59 racecourses following the completion of a five-year supply contract with Turf TV today.

'Ladbrokes will use its own existing dedicated broadcast channel ? Ladbrokes Xtra ? to display pictures from its array of content providers in all of its shops in the UK and Ireland.'

TurfTV has the exclusive rights to 31 tracks in Britain, including Newmarket, Ascot, Epsom and Aintree.

Alan Morcombe, executive chairman of TurfTV, said: 'I am delighted that Ladbrokes have decided to come on board and welcome them to TurfTV with open arms.

'The Ladbrokes contract means that, just one year after we announced our intentions, TurfTV has the overwhelming majority of betting shops signed up for the start of the full service.

'The message is clear: what we promise we deliver. Our promise now to our LBO (Licensed Betting Offices) clients is that TurfTV will do everything it can to raise the standards of betting shop picture provision and enhance the betting shop experience of their clients, to the benefit of everyone.'

Paddy Power, Totesport, Stan James, Victor Chandler and Boylesports are among other firms signed up to TurfTV, but William Hill are still in 'on-going' talks, according to spokesman David Hood.

(C) PA Sport